Framing (communication theory)
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In communication theory, and sociology, framing is a process of selective control over the individual's perception of media, public, or private communication, in particular the meanings attributed to words or phrases. Framing defines how an element of rhetoric is packaged so as to allow certain interpretations and rule out others. Media frames can be created by the mass media or by specific political or social movements or organizations. The concept is generally attributed to the work of Erving Goffman, especially his 1974 book, Frame analysis: An essay on the organization of experience.
Experts in this area include George Lakoff who has written the books Moral Politics and Don't Think of an Elephant on this subject as applied to politics (his earlier work, Women, Fire, and Dangerous Things: What Categories Reveal About the Mind also looks at framing, but from a more academic point of view).
In politics, Lakoff points to an example of framing in the phrase "tax relief." The use of the word "relief" implies a notion that taxes put strain on the citizen.
Another example is the use of death taxes as a substitution for estate taxes, a clever substitution by those opposed to taxation at the higher economic levels [citation needed] since everyone will die. But in fact few will have a taxable estate under United States law.
Another example of framing is the word "progressive" to describe left-wing politics. The word "progressive" implies an improvement, or a step forward, and therefore suggests that right-wing politics are a regression or a step back. The use of the word progessive is largely a substitute for the word liberal, earlier effectivey framed by various opponents into a negative word, now being reclaimed as an honorable appellation.
Other examples are the phrases "Pro-Life" (which implies its opponents are "anti-life" or "pro-death"), "Pro-Choice" (which implies its opponents are "anti-choice" or "pro-compulsion"), "anti-immigrant" (which implies the people this term is applied to are against individual immigrants as opposed to being against immigration or illegal immigrants.), and "Reality-based community" (which implies that its opponents are unrealistic).
Terms which frame debate seek to limit the possibilities of discourse by setting the vocabulary and metaphors by which an issue can be discussed. In Lakoff's view, framing cannot be avoided—it is an inherent part not just of political discourse, but of literally all cognition, both conscious and unconscious—but the effort should be made to do it consciously.
According to Klandermans, a sociologist, the "social construction of collective action frames," involves "public discourse, that is, the interface of media discourse and interpersonal interaction; persuasive communication during mobilization campaigns by movement organizations, their opponents and countermovement organizations; and consciousness raising during episodes of collective action." (1997: p. 45)
[edit] See also
- communication theory
- Political Frame
- Code word (figure of speech)
- Buzzword
- Power word
- Demagoguery
- Figure of speech
- Frame analysis
- Language and thought
- Meme
- Newspeak
- Trope
[edit] References
- Goffman, Erving. 1974. Frame Analysis: An Essay on the Organization of Experience. London: Harper and Row.
- Fairhurst, Gail T. and Sarr, Robert A. 1996. The Art of Framing: Managing the Language of Leadership. USA: Jossey-Bass, Inc.
- Klandermans, Bert. 1997. The Social Psychology of Protest. Oxford: Blackwell.
- Cutting, Hunter and Makani Themba Nixon. 2003. Talking the Walk: A Communications Guide for Racial Justice." San Francisco: We Interrupt This Message:
[edit] External links
- Curry, Tom. 2005. "Frist chills talk of judges deal (Page 2)." The question in the poll was not framed as a matter of whether nominee ought to get an up-or-down vote. And that framing of the issue, Republican strategists believe, is the most advantageous one... MSNBC.com.
